Real Madrid’s unshakeable faith feels like a dark art for defeated Bayern | Sid Lowe

During the excitement of Real Madrid's latest European Cup final victory, an unlikely sight appeared. Amongst the chaos, one of the team's players grabbed a white plastic chair from a steward as they were parading the pitch. This was after the team had sprinted from one end of the field to the other, fallen dramatically to the ground in front of their adoring fans, and listened to their coach proudly sing the club's anthem. Even the normally unflappable Carlo Ancelotti appeared emotional on this occasion. It was a moment of pure elation for the Real Madrid team, and even a steward's chair couldn't spoil the mood.

They stood in front of the north section of the Santiago Bernabéu, and Rüdiger gave the chair to David Alaba. Alaba, who is one of three Madrid players who have undergone a knee injury this season and has not played much, appeared a bit uncomfortable being pushed to the forefront. However, Rüdiger maintained that this was a group effort, and "the chair had to come back." Alaba had lifted the chair above his head like a trophy after Madrid's successful match against Paris Saint-Germain in March 2022. He confessed that he didn't know why, but somehow it had worked – shortly after, he tweeted, "Don't you sit in our chair," declaring it as their sovereign throne. When he raised it again now, everybody got it. They had accomplished the feat once more.

Once more, PSG showed their power, but it was just the beginning. Chelsea and Manchester City came next. Do you remember when the graphic on the screen showed the chance of each team advancing? City had a 99% chance, while Madrid only had a 1% chance. That kind of gamble is loved around here. Finally, Liverpool was in the final, and Thibaut Courtois made more saves than anyone ever did. Two years later, City came back, and they had an impressive 33 shots, with nine on target and 18 corner kicks. However, Madrid ultimately advanced in penalties thanks to Andriy Lunin's impressive goalkeeping skills. And now, here we are again. When Ancelotti was asked to explain it, he merely smiled and shrugged, saying, "It happened again."

Madrid had faced tough competition in the knockout rounds leading up to Wednesday night's game. Their opponents had taken a whopping 93 shots, and that number only increased to over 100 in the current game. To make matters worse, in every single one of these games, the opposing team had more shots on goal than Madrid did. The Madrid players had also been witness to some close chances, like when Dani Olmo from Leipzig hit their bar in the last minute of the last 16, and when Erling Haaland did the same.

During this match, a striker from Stoke City and Newcastle United, who many people have forgotten about, scored two goals in just 164 seconds. This player is from Espanyol, a team in the second division, and was loaned to Madrid instead of buying someone like Harry Kane. Joselu Mato, the player who was born in Stuttgart, made his league debut for Real Madrid in 2011 but did not get another chance to play until 13 years later. He was not called up for the Spanish national team until two days before his 33rd birthday. However, with his impressive performance, he helped Madrid advance to the final by defeating Bayern Munich.

Ancelotti commended Joselu as a great representation of the team's spirit. Jude Bellingham also praised the players' dedication, highlighting Joselu's success as an example. Bellingham playfully calls Joselu "Peter Crouch" and celebrated with him as they headed to Wembley. When asked if this was the best moment of his life, Joselu joked that he needed the interview to be aired when his wife was asleep. Two years prior, he watched Madrid play in the finals against Liverpool in Paris, but now he gets to experience it firsthand.

Joselu expressed his disbelief at the situation, noting that his dreams did not prepare him for something so incredible. Jermain Defoe reacted similarly, saying he lacked the words to convey his emotions during interviews. Bellingham was also amazed, grateful for the opportunity to be part of the team and shocked by the experience. While the rest of the team was more composed due to their experience, it was Bellingham's first year, and he was still reeling from the surreal experience.

Perhaps "peaceful" is not the exact term, but there was a feeling of assurance that things would work themselves out. A sense of trust in fate, or whatever one may call it. A belief that destiny will take its course. Even Bellingham must have gotten used to this feeling. In his debut season with Madrid, he has managed to score winning goals in injury time on four separate occasions, two of which were during clásicos. He, along with others, has witnessed this happening before, not just while playing for Madrid, but also while spectating. He is grateful to be on their side, to witness a team that seems unstoppable. They have made the impossible seem achievable, and the implausible normal. No tale seems too ridiculous for them to achieve.

A replacement player who was borrowed from the second-tier soccer league scored two goals in just three attempts, and now has more goals in the semi-finals compared to the combined tally of Kane, Haaland, and Mbappé. This appears to be an accurate statement.

Bellingham shared that there were instances when people thought they were already defeated, but because of their mindset, they never lose hope. This has occurred often this season, and the more it happens, the more it is likely to continue happening. It’s like a prophecy that becomes true because of the players’ belief in their abilities. They play for both their team and the opposing team, and their destiny affects other people’s belief in fate as well. A banner displayed before the game said, "Madrid never give up," and the chant at the end of the game was, "This is how Madrid wins."

Luka Modric tweeted that he recognized the film. Vinícius Júnior shared his excitement about playing for Real Madrid and the belief that they always have in themselves. Carlo Ancelotti's shrug, long pause, and smile conveyed more than words ever could. Jorge Valdano, a former player, coach, and sporting director for Madrid, described the current generation as repeatedly aligning the stars to reach their sixth final in 12 years. Ancelotti himself found it inexplicable, something magical that has happened before and cannot be explained. It's impossible to analyze something so enigmatic.

Many people who experience these problems view them as some kind of sinister sorcery, a collaboration with wickedness, an unstoppable and inescapable curse, or a kind of voodoo ritual. An instance of this can be seen with goalkeepers - why do they seem to struggle so much? Manuel Neuer is just one of the many puzzling examples, along with Sven Ulreich, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Loris Karius, Édouard Mendy, and Alisson, among others. If it weren't such a crucial factor, we might even include Édouard Mendy and Alisson in that list.

In the semi-final game, Bayern was mostly focused on the referees. The ref, Szymon Marciniak, had called an offside that might not have been just before Matthijs de Ligt scored a goal on 113 minutes. Thomas Tuchel was livid and shouted during the press conference. The linesman said sorry for raising the flag too soon during the equalizer attempt, but it didn't matter anymore, according to the Bayern coach. He believed that the referees needed to be better since everyone was on edge during the game. De Ligt also shared his disappointment, calling it a huge mistake and embarrassment.

Thomas Müller recounted that he experienced a similar occurrence in 2017, wherein Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice against him. He added that playing against Real Madrid feels unfamiliar.

The conclusion of the match seemed predetermined, but this time, Madrid had the chance to win sooner. This was due to the exceptional players on the team who brought their best performance, creating magical moments even when they weren't at their peak. Vinícius shone in particular, leaving Joshua Kimmich bewildered. Ancelotti praised the team for maintaining their composure and control despite Bayern's score. They were evenly matched with Bayern, and while it looked like Bayern might be their usual dominant selves, this time it wasn't the case.

However, when it comes to Madrid, there is no place like Madrid. Unfortunately, there was a mistake made by the goalkeeper who had previously made five saves. Tuchel expressed his sympathy by stating, "Manuel was the last person who deserved this outcome."

In 2017, Ancelotti was the Bayern manager and witnessed a controversial incident from the opposing side. Ancelotti was asked if he felt he was now on the winning side, and by the end of the game, it was clear he was. Ancelotti had previously been in charge at Everton before becoming Madrid's manager for the second time. This chance opportunity arose when they were struggling to find a suitable replacement, and Ancelotti suggested himself during a casual conversation about something else. Now, he is well on his way to becoming one of the best managers Madrid has ever had, with a potential to win their 10th, 14th, and 15th European Cup titles.

It wasn't supposed to happen this way, but sometimes unexpected things turn out to be the best. Ancelotti expressed gratitude towards the fans and players that made this season unforgettable. Despite the challenges faced - their top striker leaving, surpassing the deadline, key players suffering from injuries - they never lost hope. Now, they have the potential to make this season the most memorable with their upcoming first appearance at Wembley. Even Alaba, who has been out of sight, was able to celebrate with the team thanks to his plastic chair brought to him by Rüdiger.